MANILA - The appeal to allow couples to ride the same motorcycles following the easing of lockdown measures during the COVID-19 pandemic has been denied, Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla said Tuesday.

“I think they denied my request yesterday,” said Remulla in an interview on ANC’s Headstart.

“That is what I heard. I was informed that I was denied but I have not received an official response yet,” he said.

In his Facebook post on Thursday, Remulla appealed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and to the Inter-Agency Task Force of the government's COVID-19 response to reconsider allowing couples to ride together in a motorcycle despite social distancing protocols.

“I find no logic in not allowing couples travel together. They sleep on the same bed, they eat on the same table, share the same bowl of rice…why can’t they ride the same motorcycle when the risk of COVID infection is almost zero if they do that,” he said.

• Cavite governor umapela na payagan ang backride ng mag-asawa sa general quarantine

Cavite is among the areas placed under the general community quarantine where public transportation is now allowed with the condition that they follow rules on social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus.

However, only tricycles and several buses are operating in the province, the governor said.

“There are no buses going to Manila until June 1 when they start allowing…very few jeepneys are plying right now,” he said.

Remulla hopes that other provinces also appeal to the DOH and the IATF on the matter.

“I’ve written twice, I don’t know if an appeal is still in order. We’ll keep on trying," he said. Rizal, he said, wrote an appeal already.

"Hopefully Laguna and Quezon and even Cebu will write to ask them to allow this,” he said.